I wonder how many of us, if asked what God is doing in our lives right now, in this particular season, could answer that question without hesitation. I also wonder how many of us, if asked what God has done in our lives over the last six months, year, or five years, could answer that question without having to think about it.
This morning I started Deuteronomy. I must say, for all the books of the Bible, I honestly think this one is my favorite. It is so rich in promises, warnings, hope, and reminders. And let's be honest, we need all of those things, some disproportionately more than others. But if there's one thing we can take with us from this book, it's that we need to remind ourselves consistently of what God has done so that when we are faced with something in the present or future, we can (hopefully) move forward without hesitation.
In Deuteronomy 1:29-33 CSB Moses said to the people: Don't be terrified or afraid of them! The LORD your God who goes before you will fight for you, just as you saw Him do for you in Egypt. And you saw in the wilderness how the LORD your God carried you as a man carries his son all along the way you traveled until you reached this place. But in spite of this you did not trust the LORD your God, who went before you on the journey to seek out a place for you to camp. He went in the fire by night and in the cloud by day to guide you on the road you were to travel. (emphasis mine)
Granted most of us have not wandered around a desert for forty years. And true, most of us did not escape slavery under a cruel ruler and see frogs, blood, locusts, gnats, and the like in an attempt to free us. But, as children of God saved by the blood of Jesus from sin and death, we have been made free spiritually and we know exactly which chains have fallen off and which ones still need loosed forever once we step into our promised land.
Personally, I don't think our greatest obstacle is a lack of self-control or desire, it's lack of belief that we can actually be set free because we forget how free we've already been made and that the freedom we have wasn't something we truly attained on our own. We had help and a lot of it.
As I was doing my makeup yesterday morning it occurred to me that my greatest struggle, the battle I still face daily, I have been trying to win on my own, devising my own plans or idolizing the plans of others in order to get what I am working towards. Why? Because I can't seem to remember that any freedom I have was given as the LORD fought for me, carried me, and went before me on the journey. It's not that I didn't have a part in it, but I surely was not leading it. And this one, I've been trying to win all on my own.
So, to circle back around to the question my kids were asked to answer, this is what God is doing in my life, in this season, right now.....(and yes, I too had to really think about my answer)
He is showing me that my Type A personality needs to be fully submitted to Him in every area of my life.
He is showing me that I need to intentionally think about how far He has brought me and remind me that I didn't get where I am on my own. (well, the good places, the ones I don't want to be in, that was pretty much all me)
And He's showing me that I have a few burning bushes He's trying to speak through and I need to slow down, turn my head, look at them, and then stop talking so I can hear Him clearly.
So now I turn it to you. If someone were to ask you today what God is doing in your life right now, what would you say? Maybe our responses will not only help propel us forward but also remind us of how faithful our God is and give us the ability to move forward unafraid and encouraged.
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